Delhi HC admits appeal against those acquitted in IPL spot fixing scandal
Court issues notices to 36 people, including cricketers and bookies
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued notices to 36 people, including cricketers and bookies, nearly four months after a trial court cleared them of allegations that they were involved in a spot-fixing racket that surfaced in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League tournament.
Judge Siddharth Mridul issued the notices after admitting a Delhi Police appeal challenging the 25 July acquittal of the former suspects, including former Test bowler S. Sreesanth and cricketers Ajit Chandala and Ankeet Chavan.
On 25 July, a trial court had acquitted all the accused of charges of organized betting, cheating and participation in a crime syndicate under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA).
After the IPL spot-fixing scandal broke out in 2013, the Board of Control for Cricket in India imposed lifetime bans on the three players. At the time of their acquittal, the trial court observed that “all the necessary ingredients to establish a prima facie case under the provisions of MCOCA is not made out."
The trial court ruled that there was “no evidence" to hold the accused guilty under provisions of the MCOCA.
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